I am so thrilled to be apart of the Where Dreams Descend blog tour. This book is one that I love so much, that I pretty much flipped out when I got the email inviting me to sign up for the blog tour. And then when I found out I got to interview the author? Yeah, I’m so thrilled to be apart of this tour for this captivating book, this book that left me breathless, a book where danger lurks just behind the curtain. It’s truly amazing and getting to interview the author was just as amazing. Alright, let’s move on because I’m sure I could ramble for a long time!
In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes. As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.
The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost. The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told. The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide.
Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.
Early Praise:
“Janella Angeles steals the 2020 show with her fiercely imagined debut starring larger than life characters, a dangerous world alive with magic, and a dizzying dose of grab-a-fainting-couch-and-swoon-away romance!” – Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves
“Where Dreams Descend is a glamorous dark gem of a tale, sparkling with romance, magic, and intrigue. Readers will be captivated by prima donna Kallia as the mystery is slowly unmasked. Bravissima!” – Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
“Lavish and opulent in a way that feels warmly familiar yet demands your attention. There are secrets upon secrets, a girl who’s boldly ambitious, and truly riveting stage magic. I didn’t want the show to stop.” – Emily A. Duncan, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Saints
“Vibrant imagery, jaw-dropping set pieces, sizzling romantic tension, and unstoppable heroine Kallia bring this ambitious debut novel to spectacular life. Fans of Caraval and The Night Circus will be delighted!” – Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn
“[A] spellbinding melody of a book, and the true magic is how Angeles puts all the best parts of an enrapturing theatrical performance onto paper and ink. From the gripping twists in the first pages all the way to the final, heartbreaking crescendo, Where Dreams Descend will surge you to your feet in a standing ovation.” – Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy
Thank you so much! One of my biggest starting points in writing is creating a mood board and establishing an aesthetic. I’m a very visual writer, so getting that atmosphere and aesthetic solidified in my head helps me get into the head of the world. In terms of getting those important plot points in with respect to a lush world (and trying not to get lost in the details!), I approached it from an outsider’s point of view. My main character Kallia is pretty new to many of the places she visits in Where Dreams Descend, so her learning about these places was a great way of introducing important points and having the reader learn along with her.
Oh, circus pun intended, it was very much like walking along a tightrope! One of my favorite things about writing in third person multi-POV was that it allowed me to basically describe a character twice (through their own point of view, and another character’s) but it also provides an effective way to plant secrets twice-over or twine them in ways you don’t expect. When one character has a secretthat another character is trying to figure it out, it’s such an interesting dance between the POVs, and what makes it even more fascinating is letting the reader in on those secrets/supplying them with more information than the characters themselves know. It adds a tension of us knowing what others do not—almost like a break in the fourth wall—which I love to see in any story. Because even if it’s not a huge twist when we as the reader know the secret, the anticipation of when others will discover that secret can be just as gripping as even the biggest plot twist. Like knowing there’s a ticking time bomb in the room, while the people within it are completely oblivious to its presence.
When writing this book, what did you consider the hardest part about the publishing process and why?
There was a time in the drafting process when writing altogether was very difficult, mostly because I was on submission to editors with another book and things were not going so well. I honestly felt like I lost my writing joy for a time, which made jumping into this book a big struggle. But eventually, my main character, Kallia, really started speaking to me and lifting me out of that dark time. In my head, she outright demanded I get up and write her story, which is very on brand of her, and I’m forever grateful. Though I think the pandemic is also competing for top answer of “hardest part about the publishing process” because launching a book in these times has for sure been a challenging and strange experience in and of itself!
JANELLA ANGELES is a Filipino-American author who got her start in writing through consuming glorious amounts of fanfiction at a young age—which eventually led to penning a few of her own, and later on, creating original stories from her imagination. A lifelong lover of books, sh’s lucky enough to be working in the business of publishing them on top of writing them. She currently resides in Massachusetts, where she’s most likely to be found listening to musicals on repeat and daydreaming too much for her own good. Where Dreams Descend is her first book.
Where Dreams Descend comes out so soon, August 25th! I hope you’ll all enjoy the show.
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